This Kefir Smoothie Recipe is the one I use daily. It’s made with frozen fruit and honey and is so delicious. It’s a great way to start the day and get your probiotics.
This kefir smoothie recipe is just one of the recipes included in my Simple Cheesemaking ebook. Follow the link to find more wonderful cheese recipes with easy to follow instructions and much more!
Kefir smoothies are enjoyed daily at our house. Because they’re so easy to make from scratch and they contain such delicious ingredients, our family has embraced them wholeheartedly!
If you are not familiar with kefir, it is like yogurt on steroids, as far as probiotics are concerned. Yogurt can have 5 – 7 strains of beneficial bacteria but, kefir can have 50+!
That is quite a difference if you are concerned about your gut health. I know we all want to be healthier and have a healthy gut biome. This food is a directly help tool to reach that end.
Kefir is not as thick as yogurt and is drinkable like regular milk. Kefir also has more twang than yogurt thus, depending on your taste, may require more sweetening. Yet I find it more drinkable partly for that exact reason.
Other Ways To Use Kefir
There are lots of ways to use kefir. It’s a wonderful dairy product that you can use as a substitute in many recipes. We even use it in our fried chicken recipe!
Lots of people use kefir as a substitute or an enhancer for many recipes. In my Buttermilk Pie, I find that it adds a sweet tang to the overall taste.
Kefir isn’t always the predominant flavor in every recipe where you find it—but sometimes you want it to be! That’s why we also use it in recipes like the one for these popsicles.
While I like to drink kefir plain, others in the family prefer it to be made into a smoothie. So, that is what we have each morning with our breakfast – a kefir smoothie.
Making a Kefir Smoothie From Scratch
We like to add sweeter fruit to our smoothies, adding things like strawberries and blueberries. Just add the type of fruit you want to work with and play around with different textures. Different fruit combinations are delicious and there are lots of great combos to be found!
I have purchased kefir grains which are required for homemade kefir and you can find detailed instructions on making it yourself in the How to Make Kefir Video. If you have not tried it before, I encourage you to – it is very simple and much more economical.
Remember I said that kefir is like yogurt on steroids?
Kefir is amazing! According to Wikipedia:
Probiotic bacteria found in kefir products include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, Lactococcus lactis, and Leuconostoc species.
Lactobacilli in kefir may exist in concentrations varying from approximately 1 million to 1 billion colony-forming units per milliliter and are the bacteria responsible for the synthesis of the polysaccharide kefiran.
In addition to bacteria, kefir often contains strains of yeast that can metabolize lactose, such as Kluyveromyces marxianus, Kluyveromyces lactis and Saccharomyces fragilis, as well as strains of yeast that do not metabolize lactose, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Kazachstania unispora. The nutritional significance of these strains is unknown.
In the following kefir smoothie recipe, the amount of honey you add varies depending on the twanginess of the kefir and how sweet you like it. Feel free to adjust as your taste changes.
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Homemade kefir made into a smoothie is perfect for breakfast or a snack.
- 1 c kefir
- 1/2 c fruit fresh or frozen strawberries, peaches, blueberries, bananas ...
- 1 - 2 Tbsp honey adjust to taste
- 1/2 c ice cubes optional
- 4 c. kefir
- 1 c. fresh or frozen fruit - strawberries, peaches, blueberries, bananas ...
- 4 - 6 Tbsp. honey adjust to taste - we like them tangy!
- 1/2 - 1 c ice cubes optional
- Blend all ingredients in blender just until smooth.
- Serve and enjoy!
Yum Yum! I love smoothies recipes and this one is awesome!
I made this today with homemade kefir and banana. Thanks, that was great! It’s a simple recipe but the ratios are just right.
Had our first kefir smoothie this morning using this recipe and it was a resounding success!! Everyone ( me, hubby and 3 kids) loved it! Thank you 🙂
Toni, I am so glad everyone enjoyed it!
Can you mix kefir and honey
Xinia, I use my immersion blender to mix the kefir and honey.
I was playing around with different flavors and decided to try something new. I had a craving for key lime pie and decided to see if I could duplicate it. I had a pint of kefir ready, so I added the juice of two freshly squeezed limes and a few drops of vanilla. Sweetened to my preferred taste, put it in the fridge overnight, and voilà!! Instant hit with the family. My daughter says its her favorite.
Amber, thanks for sharing – that sounds delicious!
I have been making kefir for quite a while and I am going to try it as a smoothie, but I believe honey is not a good thing to mix with kefir because of the honey’s antibacterial properties, what do you think?
Dawn
Dawn, I have never had a problem or heard of it being a problem.
Enjoyed the kefir recipe. It’s yummy. I also have rheumatoid arthritis, I have found healthy eating and yoga has made a big difference.
Kim, thanks for taking the time to comment – I am glad you enjoyed it!
I make a kefir smoothie every morning after my workout: 2 c. kefir, 1 c. frozen berries, 1 scoop whey protein, agave nectar to taste. Sometimes I vary it with a half banana, dried oats, etc., but I make sure to get in my kefir after working out so that the protein can go to work right away.
Bridget, that sounds like a great routine!
Hi, I am new to kefir and just been given some “starter” to make my own. How else do people use kefir. Is it only for smoothie drinks or can you use it in baking for quiches etc. Do I keep the starter in the fridge and when I top up with milk do I revert to the original tablespoon of kefir and then throw the rest away?
Christine, I keep my kefir out on the counter once I refill it with milk. You could certainly use it in cooking but the heat will kill the probiotic bacteria. When my grains become prolific, I eat them as I am straining and refilling the jars – they have a nice tart taste to them!
I use a cup of kefer, a banana, 6 frozen peach slices and 6 frozen mango chunks with half cup of coconut water and it’s perfect!
Vicki, that does sound delicious – thanks for sharing!
Can it only be blended with fruit ? What about nuts and veggies or other stuff ?
York, it would be delicious with nuts and other things – I would definitely be creative and try it!
Just bought some kefir and cant wait to make a smoothie with it. Hopefully it will taste yummy!
Let me know how you like it!
Kefir champaigne! Love it lightly flavoured with just about any fruit (sans sweetners). Breakfast smoothie includes variety of 5 veggies, fresh ginger, matcha powder, chia seeds, 1/4 c fruit, 1 tblsp coconut oil and 3/4c or more kefir. Yum.
Question for anyone – I have high cholesterol and have been told Red Rice Yeast is the best natural alternative to taking prescribed statins – will the added yeast content have a detrimental effect on the balance of beneficial bacteria and yeast in my gut from drinking 2 cups of kefir daily?
Sheila, your kefir sounds delicious! I really don’t know about he addition of red rice yeast but maybe someone else does?
I’m wondering if you know much about blood types. I am 0+ and found after I had been on kefir a good while that I started to have asthma. My stomach hurt too. I’ve dropped my kefir intake down to 2 tablespoons per person per fruit smoothie and we are all feeling much better on this reduced amount. Any thoughts? I am unsure what how much a person needs to take in order for it to be beneficial on the body.
Trace, that is very interesting. I know there is a book about your body’s blood type and how it relates to your diet but I have not read it. It is called Eat Right 4 Your Type – you can click on the link to find out more about it. Do you have any other problems with dairy? If so, maybe it is a lactose intolerance that is a problem for you but you are able to tolerate a small amount of kefir since the lactose is converted during the kefering process. I hope this helps give some food for thought! Let me know what you think.
Trace,
Try double fermenting it
Thanks for the suggestion, Jimmy, I will!
Wow so much information I had no idea about kefir, this smoothie looks delicious and definitely something I’ll be trying!